Keeping backyard chickens is a fun and exciting experience. One of the biggest considerations to make when keeping backyard chickens, though, is the chicken coop itself. There are a few different housing options for backyard chickens. Here are a few key things to know before building a chicken coop.
(This is the third post in our Raising Chickens 101 series.)
Coops can be purchased online for between $150 to $200. A second-hand coop can be purchased for even less.
However, for those that are particularly handy, building a chicken coop from scratch can be an extremely cost-effective option. It can also serve as a fun DIY project. That being said, there are a few considerations that need to be made before building a chicken coop from scratch.
Coop Design and Location
In terms of design, there are almost an infinite number of choices for a backyard chicken coop.
- Some backyard chicken keepers choose to build a simple structure for a coop. Others choose to use existing structures, such as a garden shed, and build on to it for a chicken coop. According to Texas A&M University, there are a wide variety of options for the design and layout of the coop itself. As long as the coop is structurally sound and contains nesting boxes, roosts, and space for a feeder and waterer, just about any design will do.
- The location of the coop in the backyard is important to consider in order to maintain coop hygiene and protect the birds themselves. A chicken coop should be built on high ground so to avoid flooding or any buildup of water and moisture. According to Oregon State University, it is a wise idea to build a coop relatively close to one’s home or in a highly trafficked area of the yard to deter from unwanted predators. Building a coop away from large plants and lots of foliage that can help shelter predators will also help keep a backyard flock safe.
Coop Size
Another important thing to think about before building a chicken coop from scratch is how big the coop needs to be. Building a coop that is large enough for the number of birds is crucial to think about but is sometimes overlooked.
Overcrowding in a chicken coop can lead to a multitude of issues among a backyard flock. For instance, overcrowding typically causes chickens to fight more, meaning the birds at the bottom of the pecking order will likely have limited access to food and water and may even exhibit cuts and peck marks on their bodies. Overcrowding in a coop also means a buildup of fecal matter and bacteria in a coop, meaning the chances of parasites of insects entering the coop and making the birds sick is much higher.
According to the University of Georgia, most breeds of chickens require at least three square feet of room in a coop per bird if outdoor range space is available. However, to be safe, most backyard chicken owners give their birds between three and five square feet of room per bird. If there is no outdoor range space available, chickens should have more room inside the coop to spread out. Between eight to ten square feet of room per bird is recommended for those without outdoor range space.
Coop Material
Something to consider before building a chicken coop is the type of material that will be used to build the structure. While there are plenty of options in terms of the materials a coop is built from, some options are better than others.
For example, Virginia Cooperative Extension recommends using plywood for a backyard chicken coop. Plywood is not only relatively cheap but is extremely durable as well. Furthermore, plywood is easy to cut holes and windows in to provide a backyard flock with plenty of ventilation inside the coop.
For the coop walls in open-air sections of the coop, it’s a good idea to purchase heavy-gauge mesh wire. This wire fencing needs to be durable and strong enough so birds cannot break through the fencing and predators cannot break into the coop through the fence.
Predator Protection
One of the most important considerations to make when building a chicken coop from scratch is how to secure a flock from the threat of predators. Some of the biggest threats to backyard chickens include raccoons, coyotes, dogs, and even snakes. Some types of snakes like to eat chicks and may attempt to slither between the coop walls and the ground to access backyard chickens.
To ensure that snakes and other predators cannot break into a coop from underneath, it’s important to build the coop several inches off the ground, ideally on a slab of concrete. In addition to building the coop a few inches off of the ground, the wire fencing of the coop walls should be buried a few inches into the dirt to further deter snakes and predators that may dig underneath.
Some predators that pose threats to backyard chickens are less likely to dig underneath the coop walls. These predators may take a more conventional approach and try to break into a chicken coop through the coop door. Because of this, it’s a good idea to ensure that the door of the chicken coop is especially secure. Some backyard chicken owners even choose to purchase an automatic coop door. Automatic chicken coop doors are great because not only are they strong and secure, but they operate on a timer so there is little to no risk of forgetting to close and lock the coop door at night.
Designing & Planning Your Chicken Coop
While keeping backyard chickens is a project in itself, building a chicken coop from scratch can be a fulfilling and fun project as well.
And luckily, there are very few wrong ways to build a coop. As long as the structure of the coop is strong and sturdy, there is plenty of ventilation in the coop, the coop is large enough and the chickens are sufficiently protected from predators, just about any coop design will work. So get creative!
The housing for your chickens can be as simple or fancy as your imagination and budget permit. The basic criteria will be dictated by the birds.
- Decide on the size. As mentioned above, you will need 3 or more square feet of floor space per chicken. Also, you’ll need one nest box for every three hens. Nest boxes should be about a foot square. For larger breeds such as Jersey Giants, allow an additional square foot of floor space per bird. Learn more about the sizes of different chicken breeds to figure out which size chicken coop is right for you.
- Sketch the chicken coop on paper, with measurements. (Don’t know where to start? Check the plans for any size of flock here.)
- It might also be helpful to mark the ground where the coop will be erected, taking into consideration its location relative to the sun (southern exposure ensures greater warmth and sunlight); any nearby structures (will you attach it to a garage or barn?); and the need for a run, fenced or not (more on that in a moment). Build your coop and run on high ground to avoid battling water and mud problems!
- Do not forget to include a door and a floor in the plans. A door can be as simple as a piece of plywood on a frame of 1-by-2s, with hinges and a simple latch—make it large enough for you to enter and exit easily with eggs in hand or a basket. (Learn how to collect your eggs to determine what you’ll need). A dirt floor is perfectly adequate. However, as discussed above, we prefer a coop six inches off the ground, ideally on a slab of poured concrete if your time and budget allow. Also consider whether you will bring electricity into the coop: A low-watt bulb will prolong the day during winter months and keep egg production figures constant.
- Coop ventilation is more important than insulation. Plan to have openings near the ceiling for air circulation. (While chickens enjoy moderate—around 55°F—temperatures, they will survive nicely in the barn through fairly cold winters; their feathers kept them warm.) Also plan to install a couple of 1½-inch dowels across the upper part of the coop; this will enable the chickens to roost off the floor at night.
Building the Chicken Coop
- When you’re ready, bring your plans to the lumber yard. Someone there can help you determine how much stock and what tools and/or equipment you will need. Plan to frame the chicken coop with 2-by-4s and use sheets of plywood for the walls. The roof can be a sheet of plywood covered with roof shingles, or simply a piece of sheet metal.
- A 5x20-foot run will keep a small flock—six to eight hens—happy. More space is better if you have the room. If predators are a problem in your area, bury a layer of chicken wire 6 inches deep under both the coop and the run in order to foil diggers like foxes, dogs, and skunks. Mink and weasels can slip through standard 2-inch wire. To keep them out, use a couple of 2-inch layers offset or 1-inch wire instead. Plug any holes in the coop walls as well.
- You’ll need to accessorize the chicken coop, at least rudimentarily: Waterers, available from farm suppliers, keep the chickens from fouling their water supply. Get one for every three or four chickens. Also get a feed trough long enough to let all of the chickens feed at once (or get two smaller ones). Learn more about chicken feed. Have enough wood shavings (pine) or straw to put a 6-inch layer on the floor and a couple of handfuls in each nest box and your chickens will have a perfect home. Change the bedding about once a month or if it starts looking flat.
Remember, a chicken coop doesn’t need to be complicated. Our first one was a small shed built with recycled wood. The run was screened in chicken wire and built onto the side of our house. It wasn’t pretty, but it did the job. Just keep in mind the two simple rules, “Measure twice, cut once,” and “Pointy end down,” and both you and your hens will be happy.
Feeling ready to raise chickens? Get more tips on building a successful hen house and cleaning chicken coops, as well as bringing up baby chicks and collecting, cleaning, and storing eggs!
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Chickens are full of character and can make lovely pets
Keeping some hens in your garden can be a wonderful experience for the whole family. Chickens are full of character and can make lovely pets. They will follow you around 'helping' you with the gardening if you are doing a bit of digging or weeding and keep the area free of bugs. The thrill of opening the nestbox and finding your first egg can't be beaten - and even now, finding eggs in the nesting boxes each day is still a joy. I personally build a great chicken coop following this easy and step by step guide I found HERE: easychickencoop.hqtips.info
thanks
thanks
The ultiment coop 12'x9'
Hi I live in the high rocky mountains where it can got very cold in winter. I was getting eggs from a neighbour till their flock got wiped out from a badger that burrowed under. So I built a coop that is impenetrable and solar warm in winter.
First I built a north concrete block wall 12'6" long and 8' high. Then 6" posts set
in concrete, then coverer the whole thing with 1" 20 gage chicken wire, buried 18" deep set into 6" of concrete with 2' links of barbed wire folded in every 3",
tied to the chicken wire. Then berried to ground with large stones around the perimeter. The hutch inside is 8'x4' with polycarbonate sheets on the south side for solar gain and a concrete floor that has a large drain that leads to my compost pile. The roof over the hutch is pro panel insulated. I got pre made nesting boxes that are plastic with sloped roofs so no poop on top. The inside side walls have polycarbonate sheets 4' up, so to clean I just take the hose in and wash it all down the drain to my compost. During the day they free roam to take care of the grasshoppers that were eating my gardens.
Yes it is a lot, my friends call it the chicken palace,but I made it with left over material from my home + the wire and concrete. Happy Chickens, eggs for years to come. As my father said if it is worth doing, do it right!!!
Fresh Eggs Are Healthier
There are many advantages to owning your own chickens. Farm fresh eggs are healthier, tastier, and readily available from your own back yard. Meat birds are fast growing, take little space to raise and are fairly inexpensive for the resulting outcome in food production. Raising your own chickens means you get to decide what goes into the making of the final product.
Chicken sheds
I bought 10 pullets from the store 5 leghorn and 5 Jersey Giants. I was lucky getting one rooster out of the bunch. I built a 8x4 shed 8ft tall with small opening going into a wire space thats 8x 25x5ft tall and covered The wire goes 1 ft in the ground and there are 3 ft spikes every 3" to keep possums, coons, coyotes snakes and dogs out of it at night. The shed has 3 windows with shutters and a door big enough for me to go in to clean and keep fresh water and feed. At 4 months there was no grass left just sand so I fenced in a 100x50 with chicken wire so they had more room to run and more to eat. 3 weeks later there were no more carpenter or fire ants left in that area and all the hens were laying at least 6 eggs each a week. I was worried about the chicken hawks and owls that live here in the trees so someone told me to run a strand of wire across the top every 3 ft and hang old cds every few feet and the flashes of light from the spinning cds will protect them. It may look funny but so far I have not lost a single chicken to them.
neighbors chickens
My neighbors have a chicken coop with 6 to 8 chickens and it has no floor. It does have two wheels on one side and they pick up the other side and move the coop around their back yard allowing the chickens new feasting areas every few weeks. I know chicken poop is "hot" and will kill plants and grass but it will come back with time. This seems like a natural way of weed control and fertilization with the benefit of eggs.
Tree in fence
Hi,
Please help!! I am not sure what to put over the bush that is growing in the middle of my chicken fence? To cover it would be a net or wire about 24 foot by 30 foot. What is that big that will keep foxes out of the pen? What material should I use?
Thanks!
my chickens
I've had poultry of various kinds (waterfowl, gamebirds, turkeys, and of course chickens) most of my life. We recently moved to North Augusta, South Carolina and last year actually built my very first coop of my own design, borrowing what I liked best out of lots of plans, and helped by my son-in-law whose dad and older brother are/were both contractors, so he had the know-how. Formerly I'd always used an already existing structure and modified it. My present coop is 8 x 8 ft with a raised wooden floor, plenty of ventilation for our climate zone 8a weather, and a 320 square foot run with a top. I know dirt floors work fine and have used them, but a raised wood floor is easier to clean and easier to keep burrowing vermin out of. I can't let my birds run because there are too many hawks here. I built the pen out of turkey wire because it is more durable and doesn't rust as fast. But I covered the sides with 1 inch mesh galvanized chicken wire to make the openings smaller so chicks can't get out and smaller predators can't get in. Hawks and owls, raccoons, and dogs are the worst predators I've ever had to deal with. Building a strong coop and a strong pen should therefore be your first priority in my opinion, and make it large enough that all of your birds can stay in it comfortably 24-7. The only poultry I've even been able to pasture successfully is geese, as hawks will kill anything smaller. A strong fence does well keeping out dogs, and a solid coop for night will keep out nocturnal predators, but only a top will prevent an aerial attack by day.
Poultry Care Sunday
It was amazing for me to build a chicken coop last week. I am Jenifer from Hickory. But I like this coop, will try next year when I will plan another coop. Thanks for share.
Would a shed be a good coop?
We are in the first stages of planning our chicken raising. I was looking at many coops then I happen to see a very nice shed. The shed is 8 ft x 6 ft. and I figured I could cut holes in the bottom for the chickens to come in and out. There is plenty of space for us to come in and out for cleaning and gathering eggs. Build a long feed trough a long one wall and the nest boxes on the opposite wall, and dowels across the upper part. Lastly waterers on the back wall. The shed already has ventilation long with the ventilation I was thinking small sky lights. I plan to have semi free range chickens though there will be a fence. We are setting aside 1/3 acre to my chickens. I plan to start with 6 chickens and move on up. We are in Texas if that matters. Also as we get more experienced maybe put another shed as a secondary coop as the flock grows.
Am I over thinking this? I just want something great for my chickens and only want to build once.
thank you
thx a lot for this chicken info
Thanks yoou
Thanks yoou
Our chicken coop!!
We took half of the TAC room in the barn on the outside wall, and using scrap wood and some old wire fencing. For the bottom of the wall we used plywood, the middle the wire, finishing the top with more plywood. Using some old 1×1's and more wire screen, made a door with a lock being a old chain dog collar. A couple of big limbs laid just right for our baby chicks to roost on, not far off the floor. A small box, ceder wood chips, a heat lamp, a couple of waters and a long feeder box for chicks some saw dust on the floor and a shallow pan of kitty litter. Our chicks are happy and growing daily!! And the six of them each have a name!!
great site
great site
we would like all news about
we would like all news about raise chicken hens for eggs
Well, you can build a chicken
Well, you can build a chicken coop yourself, it requires a little learning first. You can read more here
How often does a chicken
How often does a chicken coop/ shed need re wiring?
I am asking this question due to standard cable life being 25/30 years with frequent testing before changing and was wondering what the difference is.
Hello! My husband & I are
Hello! My husband & I are researching and getting ready to build our first coop. Would using corrugated fiberglass panels for the walls be an option? Also, we live in the mountains on a ridge with lots of wild critters (hawks, coyotes, skunks, raccoon, bears, and bobcats) Do I have to put electrical wiring around the entire 3/4 acre fence or just around the coop? Is it necessary to put them in a caged environment to run free, or do you think they will be safe if just the fence perimeter is charged? Any help is appreciated. Thanks!! Kymee
Ok, I admit, I am
Ok, I admit, I am inexperienced when it comes to keeping livestock, but my two cents is this: knowing raccoons and how they can figure out how to get into anything and apparently skunks are diggers, I would imagine a fenced-in run (possibly electrified since bears are a concern) would be best if you aren'tgoing to be able to shepherd over and watch your chickens when they are outside the coop.
Excellent tips
Excellent tips you've got here in this article, Elizabeth. I will surely incorporate your tips in my next coop plan. :-)
just build a new coop for my
just build a new coop for my one chicken. She likes it it seems but is sleeping either in the nest or on the floor of the coop - is there a reason? She had been sleeping on a roost in the old cage.
She could be feeling a little
She could be feeling a little vulnerable, being all alone. I recommend a friend for her!
I'm planning on building a
I'm planning on building a coop that's 18x20 attached to my shed with a tin roof. How many chickens should I raise in this size building and how many roosters and nest?
Here is a good page on how
Here is a good page on how much space your chickens need; do not build a coop if they can't spend a lot of time outdoors; chickens aren't inside animals. http://blog.mcmurrayhatchery.c...
i am building a coop that is
i am building a coop that is 4 x 8 and i will be able to hold about 15 chickens. so something that big will be able to hold well over a hundred chickens
Hello, Wondering how
Hello, Wondering how important insulation is in a small coop 3'x4'x4' I live in SE,MN. Temps can be -20F ? Home made coop/tractor/run, well built and would be sheltered from wind snow. Walls/nest box will be insulated. Would it be too hot if I did the ceiling ? I do have closeable vents in peak. Ray
Hi Elizabeth, I live in North
Hi Elizabeth,
I live in North Western Ontario, and we've been curious about considerations like keeping our chickens comfortable over winters (your comments were very helpful), and specific predators in our area. Is there any other regional specific info you could share? We're hoping to free range our birds, and we're in a rural area. Thanks :)